This invention pertains to a system for the management and routing of cables, such as telecommunications cables. More particularly, this invention pertains to a cable trough member.
In the telecommunications industry, the use of optical fibers for signal transmission is accelerating. With the increased utilization of optical fiber systems, optical fiber cable management requires industry attention. Similar issues exist with other telecommunications cables such as copper-based cables.
One area of telecommunications cable management that is necessary is the routing of cables from one piece of equipment to another. For example, in a telecommunications facility, optical fiber cables or other cables may be routed between fiber distribution equipment and optical line terminating equipment. In buildings and other structures which carry such equipment, the cable routing can take place in concealed ceiling areas or in any other manner to route cables from one location to another. Accordingly, such routing systems often include a plurality of trough members, fittings and couplings for routing the cables.
When routing optical fibers, it is desirable that the routing system will be easy to install. Prior trough systems use coupling members with fasteners such as screws to couple the ends of two trough members. There is a need for devices which make system installation easier and less reliant on additional coupling pieces and fasteners.
The present invention concerns trough members for use in a trough system. The trough members may be quickly and easily snap-fitted together through the use of a mating arrangement. The trough members include upstanding sidewalls extending from a base defining a generally U-shaped trough. The trough provides a cable pathway for receiving at least one telecommunications cable. A first end of the trough members define a snap-together mating arrangement having male and female coupling members which mate through longitudinal sliding movement of a first trough member relative to a second trough member so that the bases abut each other to form a flush surface.
In a preferred embodiment of the trough member according to the present invention, the trough member has a two ends which having identical, mirror-image coupling members so that the trough member can be coupled to two identical trough members.
The present invention also relates to a method for quickly and easily assembling a cable management trough assembly which includes the steps of providing first and second trough members having male and female coupling members at coupling ends of the first and second trough members, aligning the coupling end of the first trough member with the coupling end of the second trough member so that the male members are aligned with openings of the female members, and sliding the first trough member longitudinally relative to the second trough member so that the male members are received in the openings of the female members.